Environmental Health Division
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Environmental Health Division
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Lead in Drinking Water Testing for Schools and Child Cares
Kids are headed back to school, and Minnesota is working to make sure students have safe drinking water available while they learn. Through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, MDH is helping public schools, charter schools, licensed child care providers, and Head Start programs test for lead in drinking water. This program provides free sample kits and laboratory analysis to identify lead in drinking water. MDH staff also provides training and technical assistance to help facilities interpret results, and understand rule requirements.
Program is open to:
- Head Start Programs.
- Licensed Child Care Programs.
- Schools.
Encourage your school to learn more about this program at Minnesota Lead in Drinking Water Testing for Schools and Child Cares.
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Radon Poster Contest
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is hosting the 2025 Radon Poster Contest! The poster contest is open to children in Minnesota in grades 4 – 8. Posters can be submitted now through Friday, Nov. 14. This offers a wonderful way for kids to get creative and learn about radon. For more information on the poster contest and to submit posters go to Radon Poster Contest.
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Wildfire Smoke - a Growing Health Concern
Wildfires are becoming larger and more frequent in the United States and Canada, in part due to the influence of climate change. Not only are we seeing hazier skies in Minnesota, we’re experiencing more unhealthy air from wildfires. Learn more at wildfire smoke.
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Drinking Water in MN at Eco Experience
The MDH Environmental Health Division is excited to return to the Minnesota State Fair Eco Experience this year from August 21 – September 1, 2025! Visit the Eco Experience building to learn about where your drinking water comes from – whether you are on public drinking water or private wells your water may come from underground or from lakes or rivers. Pump water from an underground aquifer and see what happens as water moves from below ground through a public water system!
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Toxic Free Kids Program
The Minnesota Department of Health’s Toxic Free Kids program is re-launching its Back-to-School Campaign. This campaign will focus on tips for a healthy and toxic-free back-to-school for students. Tips will be shared on the Minnesota Department of Health social media channels, follow along to learn more. Visit the Toxic Free Kids Program website for more resources and information.
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Minnesota’s Clean Indoor Air Act
turns 50
The law, enacted in 1975, has protected Minnesotans from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
Fifty years ago, Minnesota became the first state to adopt landmark legislation restricting smoking in indoor public places and workspaces. That legislation, the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act (MCIAA), protects workers and the public from the harmful effects of breathing secondhand smoke. It also has helped put smoking out of sight and out of mind – preventing young people from starting and encouraging people who smoke to quit. More information can be found on the News Release.
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Extreme Heat
Minnesota's climate is warming and in the years ahead, extreme heat events are expected to become more common, more severe, and last longer due to climate change. Additional information can be found on News Release.
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Keep food safe this summer
Bacteria flourish in the heat and humidity of the summertime. Make sure your summer gatherings don't go rotten by following some rules when preparing and cooking food. Wash your hands often and pack cleaning supplies for hands and surfaces, separate your foods (especially your meats) from each other and ready-to-eat foods, wash your fruits and vegetables, and always cook meats to their proper temperatures (160°F for hamburger, 165°F for chicken and turkey) to kill harmful bacteria. Learn more at Food Safety.
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Minnesota Drinking Water
Action Plan
At the recommendation of the Clean Water Council and the direction of the Minnesota Legislature, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) coordinated with state agencies and partners across the state to develop the Minnesota Drinking Water Action Plan. Learn about the plan at Future of Drinking Water.
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Mold and Moisture
Mold can start to grow on interior building surfaces and furnishings if there is too much moisture. Eventually, the mold will damage the materials it is growing on and may cause health effects to occupants. Learn how mold can affect your health, how to control moisture and find mold inside your home, and how to remove mold at Mold and Moisture.
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Test to be sure all’s well with your water well
More than 4 million Minnesotans rely on groundwater for their drinking water, and 1.1 million of them get that groundwater from a private well.
Wells can be a source of high-quality drinking water, but they require regular maintenance. If groundwater becomes contaminated, it can affect the health of those who drink it. More information can be found at Water Quality and Testing.
The Minnesota Department of Health and Tap-In Collaborative are offering free water test kits for private well households in eight southeast Minnesota counties in response to requests from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The eight counties eligible for these test kits are: Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, or Winona counties. Test kits will include analysis for five common contaminants in well water including: coliform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, lead, and manganese. Funding for the test kits is provided by the Clean Water Fund. More information can be found at Response to Nitrate in Southeast Minnesota.
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Lead in drinking water in early care and education facilities map
Child care centers, public and charter schools are required to report lead in drinking water results and remediation actions. Results by facility or address can viewed on the interactive map tool located on the Results and Metrics webpage.
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Licensing System
Minnesota Department of Health Licensing System is available for Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM), Registered Environmental Health Specialists/Registered Sanitarians (REHS/RS), Lead and Asbestos.
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EH topics
The Environmental Health Division (EH) works on multiple topics to support the health of all Minnesotans. You can search these topics on the Topic Index webpage.
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Minnesota Office of Accessibility
State of Minnesota’s free e-Learning program on how to create accessible documents.
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